UBC coren: High-tech, high-price carbon fiber fixie

The UBC coren is what happens when creative minds get to run amok without the usual constraints imposed by reality. The new single speed bicycle combines a unique shape, belt drive and plenty of high-tech composite.

"Carte blanche" – it's a phrase that designers, artists and creative minds thrive on. And it's a phrase that the design team at German carbon fiber outfitter UBC got to hear directly from CEO Ulf Bräutigam, who also mentioned ignoring the bicycle production rule book. It's no surprise that the resulting coren looks a little different than the standard bicycle.

UBC typically concerns itself with faster, more technological modes of transportation like race cars and aircraft. Instead of taking a step down to design a bicycle, it decided to bring the bicycle a step up in terms of high-tech design. The coren's unique, parallelogram-like frame is built of the T1000 carbon fiber ordinarily reserved for Formula 1 monocoques.

Instead of the typical chain, the coren uses a Gates Carbon Drive belt system. The toothed carbon belt is designed to be quiet, smooth, maintenance free, lightweight and durable when compared to a chain. Other components hail from suppliers such as BOR, ENVE, Schmolke, Trickstuff and Tune. UBC lists weight at just under 17 pounds (7.7 kg).

UBC promises that each frame is hand built in clean room conditions in accordance with motorsports standards. It plans to offer the limited edition bike in single speed, fixed gear and pedal-assisted electric configurations by the end of the year. The starting price is €25,000 (about US$32,500 as of publishing). Who said German carbon fiber bikes defined by French terms come cheap?